Friday Night Photos Metallic Green Beetle Edition
Submitted by Socialprogressive on Fri, 08/25/2023 - 5:00pm
Happy Friday everyone. I hope everybody is doing well. As always, post any photos, memes, or music you like.
No, not a VW Beetle, a Figeater Beetle, which often show up at the Balboa Park rose garden in numbers around this time of year to feast on the decomposing or soon to be decomposing rose blossoms.
Is it just me or has it been one crazy summer for weather events all across the country. We've had floods, droughts, hurricanes, heat domes, wildfires and tropical storms. If that wasn't enough we even had an earthquake. Strange days. I hope this is an anomaly and not the new normal.
Comments
fig eaters
amazing shots as always SP
just got a jar of Greek Fig Spread
which are caramelized and delicious
In my hunger games daze, used to pick
figs off the trees in CA on the way up the coast
learned to love them, figure it out
even if they were somewhat green
it was nutrition at the time
got no pix to show except for truck stops
from my trip out west .. kinda weird travelogue
shot from a few nights on the road - mostly glare
kinda boring without the sound track
of all the rumbling diesels
thanks for hosting your photo bugs!
Q
Hi, QMS.
What a nice memory of your trek up the coast. Enjoy your fig spread.
Excellent Fleetwood Mac selection. It's one of my favorites from the Peter Green era.
I woke up this morning determined to drink less, eat right, and exercise.
But that was four hours ago when I was younger and full of hope.
Agreed, great piece of music n/t
That, too, is my favorite Fleetwood Mac
era, both for the tunes and the album art. That cover is a classic in its own right.
Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.
Hi Social
I guess someone has to clean up the shit … I mean waste ; )
What beautiful decay those shiny beetles are gorging on. They are such revealing photos of life, and colour and light. Thank you.
Hi, Janis
And here I thought the ones that clean up the shit were Dung Beetles
I woke up this morning determined to drink less, eat right, and exercise.
But that was four hours ago when I was younger and full of hope.
Touché Social
; )
Evening all
Isn't it fun looking through a lens focused on something unique and momentary.
I've had my new cellphone (iPhone 12 pro) for two days now, and am trying out the camera and getting used to some minor changes with other features. So far I've retreated back to my camera to photograph. I am still more comfortable looking through the lens of my camera, and I'm finding the phone camera images almost too sharp. I hope I become ambidextrous and can learn how to work with the different qualities of both.
Enjoy the weekend all
Beautiful shots, Janis
I know what you mean about the comfort of looking through the lens. Holding the phone at arms length and trying to compose a shot just doesn't work for me.
I woke up this morning determined to drink less, eat right, and exercise.
But that was four hours ago when I was younger and full of hope.
It's so much easier
to get lost in the magic close up then at arms length.
Hi Janis!
Hey J! Hope it's all good your way!
Beautiful light on your leaves there! Wonderful interplay of the dark and light. GREAT work! Awesome shots!
be well!
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
Thank you dystopian
All is good. We had our first 4 days in a row without rain, in forever. The slip is still stable, and the process of remediation is creeping closer to a solution I believe. I hope you are keeping cool enough and life is still buzzing.
I need to get a good 'modern' camera...
like you, I find the cell phone photos almost too sharp and the colors are kinda strange. I think maybe I need to figure out how to make the phone capture pictures that show 'true' colors and not enhance them, like making the darkness outside at night 'light', I want dark in my picture of the moon, dangit!.
Anyways, great photos!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Hi Sima
Most likely you can adjust the colouring to some degree on the phone camera. Make sure the flash is off at night.
jb, your paintings, errr, photos
are beyond amazing! Seriously shaking my head in wonder, and there are plenty of quality images on here every week!
Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.
Thank you obf
Your enjoyment and enthusiasm always makes me smile and feel good about posting.
Great lighting JB
Glad you made a decision on what phone to get. I too used to B about not being able to look through a viewfinder to compose my pictures and refuse to get a camera that doesn’t have one. However since my 10 mpg one eats batteries I’ve been using my iPhone to take pictures and I’m able to compose my photos more easily now. I think it’s because the scene is well lighted and it’s true to how the picture will turn out. I switch between the normal view and the bigger one and usually use the bigger one knowing I can edit it.
I haven’t looked into seeing if I can lower the sharpness yet but I agree that sometimes the picture is just too sharp for reality.
But great job.
Goes to SP, dystopian and Sima and others I’ve forgotten.
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
Hi snoopy
I look forward to becoming more comfortable with the phone camera, and expect it to teach me some new things about the world of photography. I observe that the sharpness is more naturally recorded when there's less contrast in light. I think when photographing in more contrasty situations the camera doesn't compensate very well. I will investigate whether the sharpness can be adjusted under those conditions.
Hi pixelators
Hi all, Howdy SP!
GREAT Scarab photos SP. Lots of them are metallic and pretty darn nice looking bugs. I saw one a couple days ago that was Euphoria genus, and by time I got out with camera it was gone. Many of the meteallic Scarabs were worn as broaches, like Buprestids (jewel beetles). There are a number of species in the Fig Beetle group, Peach Beetle is a very similar type of Scarab.
Yeah, imagine getting into Dung Scarabs... seems a shitty thing to study.
There is one I think called Rainbow Scarab that is one of the most spectacular beetles in America. Metallic green with a metallic rose shield like a Tricerotops, and one big horn like a Rhino! I have seen two in my life, both at the same exact place within a hundred yards. Once in 1966, and again in about 1988. At the same exact site! A couple hundred yards outside the entrance to Aransas Nat. Wildlife Ref. on the central Texas coast.
Thanks for the great green metallic beetle pics!
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
I think,
either you were hallucinating, or those rainbow scarabs were expecting you ; ).
Hi, dystopian
I wasn't familiar with the Rainbow Scarab so I looked it up. What a cool looking beetle and lucky you for being able to see two of them. In the same place even. I wonder if they were related?
I woke up this morning determined to drink less, eat right, and exercise.
But that was four hours ago when I was younger and full of hope.
Hi pixelators
Hi all,
Green metallic beetles he said? What kind of a dipstick of a nimrod has green metallic beetle photos in his pocket?
anyway, here are mine...
I am a bycid guy. That is Cerambycidae, Longhorn beetles, with big fancy long antennae.
First two: Plinthocoelium suavolens which I think is a Mesquite Borer
These two are Stenapsis vertacalis insignis
a pair mating
Buprestids are another group of beetles with a good number of super metallic beautiful species. The other family worth checking out is Cicindellidae, the Tiger Beetles, lots of spectacular types.
With a hundred thousand different named types, beetles are endless in the diversity. One guy in Oklahoma collected 5000 species of beetles in his home county! In ONE county! Though often credited to Darwin, it was someone else that said 'God must have had an inordinate fondness for beetles'. Yeah, well, so do I.
I used to ask folks that triggered me how the dude invented 100,000 different types of beetles, in six days!?! What a shame 'firefly' did not give proper credit to beetles that they are.
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
So you're really a nimrod beetle
The photo of the mating pair looks like a great design for a flamboyant Italian fountain.
my dear
lady... flattery will get you nowhere. If you think sweet talking and whispering sweet nothings in my ear like
will get you anywhere, you are right.
I've been called worse, but don't brag about it.
xoxo
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
You're such a trip dystopian
It's wonderful ; )
Cool looking beetle
Thanks for the shots of the Longhorn beetles, dystopian.
I woke up this morning determined to drink less, eat right, and exercise.
But that was four hours ago when I was younger and full of hope.
What's this? Gorgeous bug week? That top one
with the huge horn/antenna takes the cake. LOL.
Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.
No beetles...
But I got some Moonflowers! This plant started from a seed dropped by accident on the greenhouse floor. It was washed down the drain, found it's way into the sand around the drain, grew under the cement floor. It peeps out of a crack between the house wall and the greenhouse floor. It gets cut back every year, and every year it grows back bigger and lusher. It'll get cut back soon again. We have to creep around it to get to the tomatoes!
Anyway, it's related to peppers and tomatoes, but its 'fruit' is poisonous, spikey and can in no way be mistaken for a tomato or pepper. Its flowers are HUGE, white, and they only open at night. They only last for one night, as well. By daytime, they are wilted and finished. Ohh, don't let me forget to mention that they smell divine.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Wowsers! We used to have a cactus that would only bloom
once a year at night. That flower was enormous and eerie looking in the moonlight.
Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.
That sounds like a neat cactus!
None of the cactuses I've grown here in the PacNW have bloomed. Can't even plant them outside - too wet, too cold.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
great plant!
very neat plant Sima! I am not familiar with it. Aren't tomatoes nightshades? Many to most of which are considered toxic to humans. We have two native types here, both seemingly biologically worthless though I suppose maybe some moth, fly, or beetle must pollinate them. One is Western Horse Nettle. It is amazing how many plants only bloom a day or two. As OBF mentioned, cactus do that, many of them. How do they get pollinated? Generally they have very intense scents, or color. Thanks for the cool plant!
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
Yep, Nightshades...
Tomatoes, Peppers, tons of other plants. A few are edible, most are poisonous. Moonflowers get pollinated by moths, although I think they can produce seed pods (those spiky things that really hurt when they dry out) without pollination. But, I think it's moths that pollinate ours. Maybe other night bloomers get pollinated that way?
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Hi Sima
Yeah a lot of nocturnal bloomers are moth pollinated. Or beetle. But some nocturnal day or two only quick bloomers like Saguaro cactus are primarily BAT pollinated! A fair number of nectar-eating bats.
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
Such great shots of the beetles...
I really admire your photography. So clear and beautiful!
As for beetles, I really like ladybugs, a lot. Other beetles rock too!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Hi, Sima
Your rogue plant looks like a member of the nightshade family. Possible a Jimsonweed. It's funny, you have a plant that is flourishing all on it's own and I can't keep things growing no matter how hard I try. I do believe I was cursed with a black thumb.
Keep the green things growing and give the goats a pat on the head.
Since you like Ladybugs
I woke up this morning determined to drink less, eat right, and exercise.
But that was four hours ago when I was younger and full of hope.
Ladybugs
Hey LO! Great ladybug pic!
I think that is the Asian Ladybeetle? Pretty sure. We have tons of native species of Lady Beetles in the U.S. OK, most are small so maybe not a ton, but almost 500 species of native types.
Many have been wiped out nearly, by the introduced non-native Asian Ladybug. They were cultivated for use as biological pest control in horticulture, particularly veggie gardens. You could mail-order them or get them at local nursery. Now they are a problem everywhere. Yes they do the good work, but, they out competed most of the native species many of which are scarce and of concern for collapse in some cases. So was the 'green' biological control really good? Further they can over-winter unlike natives. They enter buildings in cracks, gather in groups, and will destroy your curtains with goop they excrete.
They did the same with Praying Mantis. Most people see are the Asian non-native mantis, which was cultured for biological pest control. Which also controlled the native mantises.
We should be more careful with our biological solutions.
AWESOME photo!
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
We do like to meddle in things
It's a wonder that our meddling in the natural order of things has not caused more unforeseen or unintended damage than it already has.
I woke up this morning determined to drink less, eat right, and exercise.
But that was four hours ago when I was younger and full of hope.
When I first started the CSA farming thing...
I wanted to be super organic, of course, but didn't know how. So I bought some of those lady bugs for inside the greenhouse. Luckily I never let them out, and they died right away. After that, I never bought any more, instead, I, lazily, just left/leave the greenhouse door open. All kinds of native insect predators, from wasps to spiders to native lady bugs to beetles to whatever... come into the greenhouse and take care of the pests! Now, I'm lucky, we don't have many bugs (besides slugs) that can devastate crops. Slugs were really bad here; they are introduced slugs, from Europe *eyeroll*. But the changes in weather due to climate change have really knocked them back and let the native slugs flourish.
I didn't realize many of the praying mantises are introduced. That sucks. Recently I've been seeing a European snail (I think it's the grove snail). Luckily it only eats already dead plants. It came in from ships docking in Tacoma and other places, just in the last 10-20 years. Crazy.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Too often not
"So was the 'green' biological control really good? "
It's definitely a Nightshade...
Might be a jimsonweed, a datura? I'm not sure. I bought a packet of seeds 15 or so years ago, to grow as a pretty night flower outside. Threw the packet away years ago, and I can't remember the species name! Sheez, I'm a goof! I put the plants in pots. I knew they would never become perennial here, because it's way too cold and not enough sun in the winter here. For a few years, we'd grow the plants, plant them in pots, enjoy the flowers on the little 2 to 3 feet plants, then put them on the compost heap as soon as the first frost hit and killed them. Then, a seed escaped and got down under the cement floor. It's warm enough there that it can survive the winter. Kinda amazing. At first it was just small, but now, even though I cut it back every winter to the 'ground', it comes back bigger every spring! So weird.
Black thumbs have other talents, like great photography! I love that pic of the ladybug, thank you!!!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
ahhhh
that was what I thought at first look, was Jimson Weed-Datura. Wasn't sure if the leaves matched. I did not realize it was sold as an ornamental. Native peoples used to get high off it. Many more modern folks got sick trying.
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein
Sp, I really like the color contrast between the bugs
and their environment. How are you doing weather-wise? The Atlantic Storm Season is officially on. We've got a wet one hitting us sometime around the middle of next week. No hurricane, but it's going to be a rainmaker, and flood watches/warnings/prep are up and ongoing. We've still got 2 more months of this ####!
Anywho, Rec'd!!!
Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.
Hi, orlbucfan
Thankfully last weeks storm didn't hit San Diego as hard as it did in other areas of Socal. The rain started around midnight on Saturday and continued until close to midnight Sunday. We got about 2" during that time. The 50 mph winds that were predicted never materialized which was a good thing. The rest of the week the weather has been beautiful. I'm just glad we don't have to deal with storms like this on a regular basis like you do on the east coast and gulf coast. Stay safe and dry.
I woke up this morning determined to drink less, eat right, and exercise.
But that was four hours ago when I was younger and full of hope.
Ahem…..
Where are your photos of your 2 hoodlims? How you doing with the experiment?
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
snoopy, let's see if this works. I haven't forgotten.
It worked!!!!! YEAY! I just took this photo this week. Right side is Kipp; Left side is Mr. Super Trouble Beagle aka Eagle. Hubster helped out, otherwise I would have been lost in the woods. I am not that cyber swift--seriously.
Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.
Mr. Super Trouble Beagle
is cute! So is Kipp! And that's a great picture of them
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Yay and Yippee!
By gove it looks like you got it. And how beautiful those 2 are. I love beagle eyes because they are a window into their beautiful souls. And when they want to look as pathetic as they want, well I’ve caught mine on more than one occasion practicing the look in the mirror. They bring it out when they are in trouble or when they want what you’re eating or whenever they need to use it.
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
Like I've commented on here, dawg-wise, major
Dobe fan. Had them for 30 years, and they are not demon dawgs! But, Hubster is super talented in the photo/tech dept. He cropped this pic, and then figured out to how to upload it. Beagles have 3 things in common with Dobes: short haired, smart and stubborn. I can see why everyone I met, who is a pet nut has a Beagle story. And always enthusiastic. They are great dawgs.
Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.
Nice obf
I love how directly they are looking at you in the photo. Even a studio photographer would have to work hard to get a better portrait ; ).
Hi Sima
Your moonflowers remind me of morning glories. Together, they cover the daily spectrum. When one falls the other rises, and they both only live for a day, or maybe only half a day. They are ephemeral and delicate as well as toxic. Paradoxes in nature are always so fascinating since they serve a practical purpose as well as hiding some mysteries.
Enjoy their bloom and fragrance.